Opposable Thumbs —

R.A.T. 9 mouse long on features, Michael Bay-good looks

The R.A.T. series of mice from Mad Catz can be configured, adjusted, and …

At CES we met with SteelSeries, and the company stressed that the gaming gear it creates isn't ostentatious; there aren't many glowing logos or crazy designs. Mad Catz seems to have gone the other way with the R.A.T. series of mice, and you would be forgiven if you thought you were gaming with Megatron's left testicle.

Even though the design is pure Michael Bay, it's remarkably comfortable in your hand, as all the places where skin meets mouse are smooth and comfortable. Even better, you can adjust the size, the weight, and the thumb rest. You can add a rest for your pinky finger on some models if you want. The chassis is made of metal, so you can go ahead and slam it on your desk after a bad match... the desk may break, but the mouse should be fine.

My favorite feature? Under your thumb you'll find a button that lowers the DPI settings on the mouse, making it more precise when you press down. "It's a sniper button!" I exclaimed. The company rep smiled and nodded.

The basic model will run $49.99, but the R.A.T. 9 will cost a dizzying $129.99. That gets you all the bells and whistles, plus wireless capabilities, an extra battery with a charging station that also holds any of the weights you're not using in the mouse, and a horizontal metal scroll wheel you can hit with your thumb. An allen wrench allows you to adjust nearly every aspect of the experience.

We'll be looking at the SteelSeries gear very soon, but the Mad Catz R.A.T. line is impressive, and very desirable if you can never seem to find a mouse that works well with your hands, or you just love to be able to tweak and adjust your gear. The line will begin shipping this spring.